


Seeking Familiarity

by jellofiend



Series: Brand New World [2]
Category: Dissidia Duodecim: Final Fantasy, Dissidia: Final Fantasy, Final Fantasy VI, Final Fantasy VII
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Fluff, Pre-Relationship, Road Trips
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-13
Updated: 2016-04-13
Packaged: 2018-06-02 02:09:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,863
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6546217
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jellofiend/pseuds/jellofiend
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What even is there to see in Kalm, of all places?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Seeking Familiarity

**Author's Note:**

> Written for [prompt](http://100-prompts.livejournal.com/692.html) 001 from Table B, "Lively". TW for minor depiction of gore and animal death. Set in the same universe as [Tea Time](https://archiveofourown.org/works/5217218) and [An Empty House](https://archiveofourown.org/works/5244230) (a few months after and before, respectively. Writing fics in chronological order is for nerds...or organized people)

He tries to get her to stay behind in Edge, but Cloud discovers very quickly that once Terra has her mind set on something - _really_ set her mind on something - trying to make her change it is on par with climbing Gaia’s Cliff with no clothes on.

The road stretching out between Edge and Kalm is littered with potholes, grassy, overrun with fiends of every kind and the odd human undesirable lurking here and there waiting to pick pockets or grab goods off passing vehicles.

It’s unsafe, and a tedious ride to sit through even though it’s relatively short.

And besides which, what even is there to see in _Kalm_ , of all places? If it was the Gold Saucer, he could understand. Wutai, sure. He’d even get Junon or Icicle Inn. But Kalm is easily the most boring a town can get without being a small, backwater village tucked away behind a hill somewhere. It has nothing exciting, nothing of such importance that _needs_ to be seen.

But Terra is absolutely excited, interested, and adamant. Ten minutes after she’s worn him down, she’s upstairs throwing things in a bag, preparing the clothes she’ll wear the next day on the trip, acting more lively than he’s seen her act since...he’s known her.

With a long sigh, Cloud leaves the couch and heads up to his room, stopping at her door and watching for a bit as she meticulously irons a pale blue sundress on her bed.

“Goodnight.” He calls, and she pauses and turns to give him a big, toothy grin.

“Goodnight.” She says, a pretty lilt to her tone.

He falls asleep thinking that there’s so much about her that he still can’t understand.

 

There are three packages, none very large, that Cloud has to deliver in Kalm. One of them is a birthday present from a father to his daughter, and it’s wrapped up in a sparkly green paper with a pattern of white cat outlines all over it. He takes extra care with that, making sure there’s no chance it’ll be dented or crushed in his bag during the journey.

Terra sits quietly behind him as he goes around collecting packages, her own two bags - her purse and a cloth tote containing emergency items - snug on her lap. Cloud can tell there’s still a part of her that’s just not used to the city, with all its noise, pollution, and traffic. She tucks herself in a little closer to him every time another car or truck or motorcycle passes them, and she still cringes very slightly when she passes the big TV screens that have sprung up outside some buildings and that blast out commercials at all hours of the day.

As they weave through the streets, an ever growing wave of vehicles spill out, coming from every direction there is a residential area. The 7AM Rush to Death, as Cloud has heard it be called on one radio show, is in full swing.

They reach the exit that leads out to Kalm at just around 7:30, as the rush builds to its worst point - the point where you’ll be lucky if the glut of motors choking up the air around you moves three feet forward in the next hour - and Cloud breathes out, chuckling a little.

Count on him to beat that thing to the ground.

Once they’re out of Edge proper, past the wasteland and onto the path, it seems like a weight’s been lifted from Terra. Immediately, her body relaxes, leaning into his. He glances back as much as he can without taking his attention fully from the road, and he sees a big, wide smile on her face.

It’s in that moment that he suddenly realizes that Terra has never seen anything outside of Edge in the nearly six months she’s been in his world.

“This is so nice.” She says, eyes fixed on a pair of birds flying around a large, lonely tree. Cloud glances at it, craning his neck so he can see a little behind it. Thieves are known to use such trees as covers.

He grimaces. “I still wish you hadn’t come.”

“Shut up.” Terra says, but there’s no bite to it. It’s sweet and full of humor, and Cloud can’t help his grimace turning into a small smile.

“So, seriously, who was that woman last night who totally bulldozed me?” Cloud asks, and Terra muffles her giggle against his shoulder. “Where was she hiding all this time?”

“I wasn’t that bad.” She insists, grabbing him around the waist as they ride over an uneven stretch of ground.

“You were _scary_. I mean, I’ve faced down behemoths less determined and one track minded.”

“Oh, stop.” Terra laughs, slapping his arm. Her hand lands and stays, turning into a grip. “Cloud?”

Cloud slows the motorcycle, expression sobering instantly as his eyes find the same thing Terra’s have found.

Just in front of them, blocking the road and bathing it in dried red fluid, is the corpse of a chocobo. Its head is missing, and there’s a large, gaping wound in its front that’s allowed most of its internal organs to spill out.

He can hear Terra swallow twice rapidly, like she’s trying to keep something from rising in her throat.

“Don’t look at it.” He says, shutting the engine and dismounting. He scans the area in a wide sweep, his fingers hovering over the button that’ll open his sword’s compartments.

There’s nothing around them that he can see. Most likely that whatever ate the chocobo did so for dinner, and now is long gone. Cloud looks at Terra and sees her hunched over slightly, the back of her hand against her mouth, eyes cast downward at her feet. Her skin has turned a bit green.

He turns and walks up to the corpse, ignoring the queasiness in his stomach as the smell of it hits him. Grabbing it by a handful of feathers on its back, he hauls it off the road and throws it behind some brushes in the marsh. Swiping his hand on his trousers, he goes back and mounts the bike again.

“It’s okay.” He says. “This kind of stuff happens. It was just a wild chocobo.”

“Right.” Terra says, and he can feel her hair brush against his back as she nods. “You’re right.”

They fall into a silence the rest of the way. Terra wraps her arms around him, tightly, and rests her head against his shoulder.

 

The sun is bright and orange in the sky, casting its light and its heat on the buildings and the cobbled streets, when they reach Kalm.

Terra slides off the bike and stands, looking around. Cloud leans Fenrir behind some crates against the side of the inn, adjusts his bag, and walks to her side.

“I’m gonna go drop the packages off.” He says, and she turns her head towards him. “It probably won’t take more than an hour, tops. You wanna wait inside the inn?”

Terra shakes her head. “Can I walk around instead?” Cloud stares at her, a little perplexed. “I like the way this town is built.”

He looks at one of the buildings, and it’s just as well as looking at all of them. Ordinary wood and stone and brick. No amazing feats of architecture here, just simple structures built so the townspeople can live their lives the best they can.

“What’s wrong?” She asks when he hasn’t replied for a while. He blinks.

“Nothing. It’s just...” He pauses, brings a hand up as if to gesture towards something, then drops it. “Nothing. Be careful, okay? If somebody tries to get unusually friendly, don’t be afraid to cast Stop or just knee’em in the groin.”

Terra’s lips curve into an amused smile. “Of course.”

Cloud turns and leaves her, his boots striking the ground heavily. Reaching into his bag, he picks out the largest package, briefly noting the house number circled on top. He struggles not to look behind and see what she’s doing.

 

It takes a much longer than Cloud had estimated to get his work done. One of the recipients isn’t home, and the little girl who’s celebrating her birthday insists, along with her grandmother, that he come in for a glass of lemonade, if not a piece of cake.

By the time he manages to get out of their house, his bag as light as a feather, the clouds have congregated and are hanging like a veil over the sun, and the air is considerably cooler. His mouth tastes like frosting, sugar and lemon, and he makes a face as he swirls his tongue around. He’s never been much of a sweet tooth.

Abruptly, he feels a little bad for having had the cake and the drink alone, even though he had been unexpectedly puppy-dog-eyed into it. Terra loves cakes much more than he does.

Moving forward, Cloud looks over the edge at the lower level of the town, finds the curly blonde head bent over a piece of white paper - a brochure, maybe. She’s standing a few feet in front and just to the left of the tunnel that leads into the pub, a slight wind causing her dress to flutter around her legs.

He descends the stairs, flattening his palm against his hair to keep it from being rustled as the wind grows stronger. Terra folds the paper (he can see, now, that it’s a flier for the town’s upcoming fair), turns and spots him, a smile lighting her face.

“Everything go well?” She asks.

“Yeah. Got held up in that house with the little girl, though.” Cloud says. “That’s why it took so long. Sorry if I kept you.”

“Oh no.” She waves dismissively. “Do you mean that little girl who’s having her birthday?”

“Yeah, she invited me in for cake.” Cloud grins, a little sheepishly.

“And you didn’t bring _me_ back any?” Terra says, raising an eyebrow, putting both her hands on her waist. Cloud laughs, realizing immediately that she’s not serious.

“I thought, you know, you might not want the calories.” He says glibly, and she reaches forward and swats his chest.

“I do too want the calories!” She says, then giggles. Strands of her hair float and drift across her face, and she pushes them behind one ear. “Wow, the wind’s really picking up, isn’t it?” She looks southward, and Cloud follows her gaze.

“It’s like this here at noon.” Cloud says. “It’s gonna get colder as the day goes on. I mean, not so much that you’re gonna need a sweater, but you’re gonna feel it.”

“Hmm.” Terra looks up at the few splotches of sun that can be seen from between the clouds.

Cloud remains silent for a minute as he stares out at the town’s exit. Then: “Do you wanna go?”

“Huh?”

“Back to Edge?” Cloud clarifies, studying her expression. “Or do you wanna stay here for a few?”

Terra lowers her head, brows knitting together. The flier hangs limply between her fingers. “I’d...like to stay here, if that’s okay?” She says finally, straightening and looking directly into Cloud’s eyes.

“Of course. If that’s what you want.”

She smiles, very slightly. “Thanks.”

“Hey, now, there’s nothing to thank me for.” Cloud returns the smile, bigger and wider, then motions with his head towards the tunnel. “There’s a pub through there. Serves pretty much the exact same drinks as 7th Heaven, but their food’s quite different.”

“Sounds good.” Terra says. “I _am_ hungry. Nobody gave me cake.”

Cloud snorts, taking a hold of her wrist as they begin walking. “I’ll bake you one when we get home.”

“You, baking?” She wrinkles her nose. “No thanks, I value my life.”

“Hey!”

 

It’s a slow day in the pub, and they’re able to find stools side by side. Cloud thumbs through the menu, all two pages of it, making thoughtful little noises as he eyes the various items.

“This town really loves its cheese, that’s for sure.” He remarks and turns to look at Terra. “What do you...Terra?”

Terra droops next to him, head down, shoulders slumped. She’s staring at the wooden counter with a strange, sad look in her eyes.

She was happy less than five minutes ago. Cloud frowns, worry replacing all other thoughts.

“Terra, what’s wrong?”

She takes a deep, trembling breath. “I don’t know.”

Cloud drops the menu on the counter, shifting around so he’s fully facing Terra. He puts his hand on her shoulder. “How can I help?”

“You can’t.” She chokes out, turning and leaning into his embrace. “I don’t think anyone can help.”

“Did something happen here? Did someone say something to you?”

“No, everything’s fine here. Everyone is nice. I...I like this town.”

“Then...what?”

She looks up at him, and her eyes are glistening. “This town...it...” She stifles a sob, bracing her palm against his chest. “It reminds me of home.”

“Of _home_?” Cloud’s mind whirls for a second, and in one instant his feelings shift from confusion to surprise to a sort of elation. “This place reminds you of your world, Terra? You’re starting to remember things from there?”

“I think so.”

“Terra, that’s...” He stops just before the word ‘great’ tumbles out of his mouth. Terra is still crying. His elation evaporates like it was never there. “You’re sad because you can’t go back.”

Terra withdraws her hand from his chest, clamps it against her mouth. Cloud holds on tighter.

After a moment, she dares to speak, and the swell of grief in her voice makes his heart ache. “I remember all these little pieces. Most of the time, it’s so faint I can’t really feel anything. I think of these blurry faces, these faraway sounds, and half-formed images of locations I can’t place.” She drops her head again. “Then I saw Kalm on TV. And it was like I...I was hit by a rush of icewater. I saw this completely clear, whole picture of a town in my head, Cloud.”

“Do you remember the town’s name?”

Terra shakes her head, sucking her lower lip into her mouth. “I only saw the picture of it. I needed to come here, so when I heard you were...”

Cloud sighs. “That’s why you were so insistent.”

“Yes.” She rubs her face. “I thought if I came here, I’d remember some more things.”

“Did you?”

“Not really. But God, Cloud...this place is so _familiar_. I can’t stand it. It’s like a piece of my world, but it’s all wrong because it’s also so different...you know?”

“I’m sorry, Terra.”

She leans back, away from him, shuffling around to face the counter again. “Don’t be sorry. It’s my fault. It was stupid of me to think I could come here and find something that doesn’t exist in this world.”

“That’s not true. You weren’t being stupid at all, there’s nothing stupid about trying everything you can.”

“No Cloud, I’m...This is me, here in this new life, holding onto the past. That’s not right.”

“It’s not wrong either.” Cloud insists.

“I shouldn’t want something that I just can’t have anymore.” Terra folds her arms on the counter, turns to look at him. “I need to let this go.”

Cloud falls silent. He stares at his boots for a few minutes, hears new patrons arrive and the tinny noises of a motorcycle race from the wall-mounted TV. Then he turns and picks the menu up again.

“I think I’ll have a meat pie, without the cheese.” He says.

Terra’s mouth quirks up at the corners, just the slightest bit. “I think I’ll have the same. And a stiff drink.”

“I’ll get you the strongest glass of alcohol they have in this bar.” Cloud promises.

 

Terra looks down the path outside the gate.

“You think that chocobo-eating monster is still out there?” She asks, tugging her tote’s strap over her shoulder.

Cloud glances up briefly in the process of wheeling Fenrir up to the gate. “It might be.”

“Ugh. What if it jumps out at us or something?” Terra shakes her head. “I’m so sorry for asking to stay.”

“Come on, it’s no big.” He mounts the bike, and she follows, settling in behind him. “If it preys on chocobos, it can’t be that hard to fend off.” Cloud stops, then turns his head to shoot Terra sharp glare. “And _no_ jokes about me looking like a chocobo.”

She giggles. “I swear, that thought never crossed my mind.”

Cloud revs up the engine and speeds off down the road. Terra wraps her arms around his waist.

“You know, I really meant what I said.”

“What?”

“That I’m going to let it go.” She says quietly. “From now on, I’m gonna focus on today and tomorrow.”

“Can you let go of your past so easily?”

“It’s not going to be easy. But I’m not gonna let my past cast a shadow over my future, no matter how hard it gets.”

Cloud stares ahead. “I’m gonna help you then. I’ll light the way.”

Terra presses her forehead against his back. “Then I have nothing to worry about.”

**End**

**Author's Note:**

> I've noticed some similarities between buildings and overall layout in Kalm and many towns in FFVI, so I'm happy to have finally been able to use that, lol. I really have no idea where this fic sprang out of, bc the word prompt got left behind *pretty* early on. This is more of a 'day in the life' kind of story than anything else, I guess. I tried to incorporate elements of everyday life in post-Meteor Gaia, but I don't know how well that came off.


End file.
